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Saturday 14 OctOber 2017

Cubs get to Scherzer, then hold on to top Nats 9-8 in Game 5

By HOWARD FENDRICH be-eliminated postseason tough.”
AP Sports Writer game. That includes three Homers by Daniel Murphy
WASHINGTON (AP) — The straight to end the 2016 and Michael A. Taylor —
Chicago Cubs win when- World Series, when Chica- whose grand slam off Da-
ever they need to, with go trailed the Cleveland vis backed Stephen Stras-
whatever it takes, even a Indians 3-1 before forcing a burg’s 12-strikeout master-
seven-out save by Wade Game 7 won by the Cubs piece in Washington’s 5-0
Davis to preserve a shrink- in 10 innings. victory in Game 4 at Wrig-
ing lead and a “Did that The Nationals, meanwhile, ley Field on Wednesday —
really happen?” four-run in- went one-and-done yet gave the hosts a 4-1 lead
ning against Washington’s again: This is the fourth time in the second against Cubs
Max Scherzer in a thriller of in the past six years that the starter Kyle Hendricks.
a Game 5. club won the NL East and But Gonzalez gave back
That wild, bat-around fifth immediately lost its open- two of those runs, so it was
inning Thursday night for ing playoff series. And this is 4-3 as two-time Cy Young
Chicago included Addison the third time in that span Award winner Scherzer en-
Russell’s go-ahead, two-run that Washington bowed tered for the fifth. He start-
double, a bases-loaded hit out with a Game 5 NLDS ed Game 3 of this series,
by pitch, and a disputed The Chicago Cubs celebrate after beating the Washington loss at home; that also hap- pushed back because of
dropped third strike fol- Nationals 9-8 to to win baseball’s National League Division Series, pened in 2012 against the an injured right hamstring,
lowed by a throwing er- at Nationals Park, early Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Washington. St. Louis Cardinals and last and hadn’t come out of
ror, helping the defending Associated Press year against the Dodgers. the bullpen since 2013 with
World Series champion enth pitcher, turned in his Catcher Willson Contreras This one was played ex- the Detroit Tigers.
Cubs come back — and longest appearance since picked off Jose Lobaton at actly five years to the day “Huge. You look out there
then hold on — to edge 2012. first base to quash a Wash- after the decider against and you see Scherzer up
the Nationals 9-8. “I’ve always known he’s ington threat in the eighth the Cardinals, which the there and you think, ‘One
And for the third year in a got a lot of mettle in his and Davis fanned a swing- Nationals lost 9-7 in Wash- of the best, if not the best,
row, Chicago reached the soul,” Ben Zobrist, who ing Bryce Harper for the fi- ington. Just like that night, pitcher out there on the
NL Championship Series. scored two runs for Chica- nal out. the Nationals started Gio mound,” Russell said. “You
“Give the boys credit,” go, said about Davis. “The “Just trying to stay focused Gonzalez. Just like that kind of have to change
Cubs manager Joe Mad- guy just shows up. He’s got and confident in the end,” night, Washington raced your game plan, your ap-
don said. “That’s one of ice in his veins.” Davis said. out to an early lead (6-0 proach.”
the most incredible victo- The same could be said for Chicago, which surpassed back then). And just like By the time Scherzer’s one
ries I’ve ever been part of. all of the Cubs. its total of eight runs from that night, Gonzalez had inning was over, the Cubs
I know a lot of people are They trailed 4-1, then led the first four games of control problems and start- had taken a 7-4 lead,
probably saying the same 8-4 and 9-6, in a game that the NL Division Series, ad- ed giving back some of the and Russell had delivered
thing, but under the circum- lasted more than 4½ hours vanced to face the Los edge. the biggest hit. Chicago
stances, in the other team’s and ended after midnight Angeles Dodgers, who will “It was a series of bad scored two earned runs
ballpark, after a tough loss on Friday. start ace Clayton Kershaw events,” Nationals man- and two unearned runs, on
at home, to come back “It was ‘Bizarro World,’ at home in Game 1 of the ager Dusty Baker said. “It the strength of three hits,
and do that, give our guys there’s no question about NLCS on Saturday night. really hurts, you know, to one hit by pitch, one in-
all the credit in the world.” it,” Maddon said. “But it For Maddon and the Cubs, lose like that, especially af- tentional walk, a catcher’s
Russell drove in four runs happens. It happens this this was their fourth con- ter what we went through interference, and one very
and Davis, Chicago’s sev- time of the year.” secutive victory in a win-or- all year long, and that was odd play.q

MVP candidate Altuve says

he’d pick Judge for the award

beginning on Friday night. second. about complimenting oth-
Altuve and Judge also are The 6’ 7” (200 centimeter) er players, it is nearly im-
the front-runners for the Judge led the AL with 52 possible to get him to talk
AL MVP award, but Altuve homers and finished sec- about himself. His manager
said before Game 1 he ond with 114 RBIs. He was and teammates are all too
would vote for New York’s first in the AL with 128 runs happy to sing his praises.
imposing slugger if he had scored and his 79 extra- That was the case on Fri-
a ballot. base hits ranked second. day when Houston man-
Power isn’t the most promi- The MVP candidates met ager A.J. Hinch was told
nent asset for the 5-foot-6 at this year’s All-Star game Altuve said he would vote
Altuve, but he had just the and Judge came away im- for Judge for MVP.
Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve gestures during batting practice 10th three-homer game in pressed with Altuve as well. “Yet another reason why
before Game 1 of the American League Championship Series playoff history in the ALDS “I talked to him a little bit Jose Altuve is a perfect
baseball game against the New York Yankees Friday, Oct. 13, against Boston. The second and what a great guy,” player,” Hinch said. “He’s
2017, in Houston. baseman led the majors Judge said. “You see what humble in his own accom-
Associated Press with a .346 batting aver- he does on the baseball plishments and very com-
By KRISTIE RIEKEN Just not this month. age this season, and his field, but the type of person plimentary of others. ... I will
AP Sports Writer Altuve and the Houston As- 204 hits were most in the he is you see the passion he always back Jose Altuve
HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Al- tros take on Judge and the AL. He was third in the AL has for the game, it’s pretty (but) I think in this regard I
tuve is a big fan of Aaron New York Yankees in the with 32 stolen bases and fun to watch.” got to tell him he’s wrong;
Judge. AL Championship Series his 112 runs scored ranked While Altuve is never shy Jose Altuve’s the MVP.”q